News Wire | August 2022 Archive
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
U.S., Taiwan to Begin Formal Trade Talks Amid Pelosi Visit’s Fallout
By Eva Dou & Lyric Li | The Washington Post
The United States and Taiwan said they are set to begin formal trade negotiations, as Washington shows its support for the island democracy facing Beijing’s ire for hosting high-ranking U.S. congressional delegations.
More from WPR: China’s Saber-Rattling Won’t Make Taiwan Shift Course
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Hosts Talks With U.N. Chief, Turkey Leader
By Derek Gatopoulos & Suzan Fraser | Associated Press (free)
As a potential power broker, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will use his first visit to Ukraine since the war started nearly six months ago to seek ways to expand the export of grain from Europe’s breadbasket to the world’s needy. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will use his visit to focus on containing the volatile situation at a Russian-occupied nuclear power plant.
More from WPR: Only Ukraine Can Set the Terms to End the War With Russia
Spanish Court Clears Way to Return Body of Angola’s Ex-President
By José Bautista, Gilberto Neto & Lynsey Chutel | The New York Times
A Spanish judge has ruled that the body of Angola’s longtime leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos may be returned to his home country in southern Africa.
U.S. Congressional Delegation in Kenya Amid Election Crisis
By Cara Anna | Associated Press (free)
A U.S. congressional delegation has met with Kenya’s new president-elect and the opposition figure likely to file a court challenge to his election loss in the latest electoral crisis for East Africa’s most stable democracy.
More from WPR: Kenya’s Election Was a Mixed Bag for Democracy
Biden’s Historic Climate Bill Needs Smart Foreign Policy
By Jason Bordoff | Foreign Policy
The White House’s crowning domestic policy achievement can’t reach its full potential without engaging the world.
El Salvador Extends State of Exception; 50,000 Arrested
By Marcos Alemán | Associated Press (free)
With 50,000 people locked up since late March for alleged gang ties, El Salvador’s congress has approved another month-long extension of the state of exception that suspends some fundamental rights in the name of combatting the country’s powerful gangs.
More from WPR: Bukele’s Power Grab Is Alarming Everyone but Salvadorans
U.S. Officials Warn of Uptick in Weapons Smuggled to Haiti
Associated Press (free)
U.S. investigators say they have noticed an uptick in the amount and caliber of weapons being smuggled from Florida to Haiti in recent months.
More from WPR: The World Can’t Afford to Ignore Haiti’s Deepening Security Crisis
Sink or Swim: Total Peace Under Petro
By Sergio Guzmán & Steven Holmes | Global Americans (free)
It is unclear whether President Petro will be able to capitalize on the enthusiasm of his electoral base to make significant gains in Colombia’s long quest for peace.
EU to Host Serbia-Kosovo Talks in Brussels Amid Tensions
By Dusan Stojanovic | Associated Press (free)
Wartime rivals Serbia and Kosovo are holding high-level crisis talks on Thursday which European Union mediators hope will de-escalate growing tensions in the Balkans, where Russia has tried to further increase its influence amid the war in Ukraine.
More from WPR: Serbia’s Days of Hedging Between the EU and Russia Might Be Over
U.K. Train Strikes Bring More Summer Disruptions
By Isabella Kwai | The New York Times
Train travel in Britain largely ground to a halt Thursday, after tens of thousands of railway workers walked out over wage disputes, the latest work stoppage in a summer marked by labor unrest and sweltering heat.
Sleepy Greek Port Becomes U.S. Arms Hub, as Ukraine War Reshapes Region
By Niki Kitsantonis & Anatoly Kurmanaev | The New York Times
The flow of U.S. military supplies through Alexandroupoli has angered Russia and Turkey. Now, firms with ties to Russia and America are competing for control of the port.
Who Will Get Rid of Putin? The Answer Is Grim
By Oleg Kashin | The New York Times
What’s easier to imagine—Vladimir Putin suddenly declaring an end to the war on Ukraine and withdrawing his troops or a Russia without Putin that revises his policies, ends the war and begins to build relations with Ukraine and the West on a peaceful new foundation?
Exiled Rebel Leader Returns to Chad for National Talks
Reuters
One of Chad’s most prominent rebel leaders, Timan Erdimi, returned home Thursday after 17 years in exile to participate in national talks meant to pave the way to elections after the military seized power last year.
Measles Outbreak in Zimbabwe Kills 157 Unvaccinated Children
By Farai Mutsaka | Associated Press (free)
A measles outbreak in Zimbabwe has killed 157 children, most of whom were unvaccinated due to their family’s religious beliefs, officials said.
One Shot Dead in Guinea in Anti-Government Protest, Opposition Says
By Saliou Samb | Reuters
A young man was shot dead by security forces during an anti-government protest in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, on Wednesday, an opposition coalition said.
More from WPR: The History Behind Guinea’s Latest Coup
Eastern Congo Attacks Kill Civilians, Hit Major Power Plant
Reuters
Suspected rebels have killed civilians and damaged a major hydropower plant under construction in Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the park operator said Wednesday.
Female Saudi Activist Gets Record 34 Years in Prison for Critical Tweets
By Sarah Dadouch & Annabelle Timsit | The Washington Post
Saudi Arabia quietly sentenced a woman last week to 34 years in prison over her Twitter activity, marking the longest Saudi sentence everfor a peaceful activist and launching a fresh wave of fear among the government’s detractors, three rights groups said.
Israel Closes Palestinian Rights Groups It Labeled Terrorist
By Jalal Hassan & Fares Akram | Associated Press (free)
Israel raided the offices of several Palestinian advocacy groups it had previously designated as terrorist organizations, sealing entrance doors and leaving notices declaring them closed, the groups said Thursday.
Egypt’s President Appoints Caretaker Central Bank Governor
Reuters
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has appointed Hassan Abdullah as caretaker governor of the central bank, state media reported Thursday.
China, Japan Officials Meet Amid Taiwan Tensions
Associated Press (free)
Chinese and Japanese officials have met in northern China amid renewed tensions over Beijing’s military threats against Taiwan and after Tokyo protested China’s firing of missiles into Japan’s exclusive economic zone during recent military drills.
More from WPR: China Has Nothing to Gain From Invading Taiwan
Blast Kills 21 in Kabul Mosque, Including Influential Cleric
By Haq Nawaz Khan | The Washington Post
A bomb blast in a mosque in the Khair Khana area of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, killed 21 worshipers including a prominent prayer leader Wednesday evening, Taliban officials and residents said.
Top U.N. Official Presses Myanmar’s Junta Leader in Rare Visit
Reuters
A senior U.N. official said she had urged Myanmar’s military ruler to release political prisoners and stop executions Wednesday, in a rare, high-profile visit that comes amid growing violence in the country.
More from WPR: Myanmar’s Resistance Fights On—With or Without International Support
The China Trap
By Jessica Chen Weiss | Foreign Affairs
U.S. foreign policy and the perilous logic of zero-sum competition.
North Korea Launches Two Missiles in First Test Since June
By Choe Sang-Hun | The New York Times
North Korea launched two cruise missiles early Wednesday in its first weapons test in more than two months as South Korea and the United States geared up for joint military exercises that had been pared down or canceled in recent years.
More from WPR: North Korea’s Muscle-Flexing Is Driving Seismic Shifts in East Asia
After a Bitter Contest, Kenyan Opposition Leader Rejects Election Result
By Declan Walsh, Abdi Latif Dahir & Matthew Mpoke Bigg | The New York Times
Speaking for the first time since he lost Kenya’s hard-fought presidential election, the opposition leader Raila Odinga rejected the result announced Monday and vowed to pursue “all legal options,” apparently signaling that the dispute that has gripped the East African country is likely to be decided at its Supreme Court.
More from WPR: Another High-Stakes Presidential Election Has Kenya on Edge
Turkey, Israel to Reappoint Ambassadors After Four-Year Chill
By James Mackenzie & Ece Toksabay | Reuters
Turkey and Israel said Wednesday they will reappoint respective ambassadors more than four years after they were called back, marking another milestone after months of steady improvement in relations.
More from WPR: A New Thaw in Israel-Turkey Ties Still Faces an Old Obstacle in Ankara
Ten Years After Disappearing in Syria, Freedom Is Elusive for U.S. Journalist
By Raja Abdulrahim | The New York Times
Ten years after the American journalist Austin Tice disappeared in Syria as the country descended into a brutal civil war, and was believed to have been held captive by the government of President Bashar al-Assad since, his release still remains elusive.
Cuba Authorizes Foreign Investment in Wholesale, Retail
By Leticia Pineda | AFP (free)
The Cuban government has announced it will allow foreign investment in domestic wholesale and retail trade for the first time in 60 years, in a move aimed at addressing critical shortages of goods.
More from WPR: Cuba’s Post-Castro Leaders Must Deliver the Goods
Independent Journalist Found Slain in Northern Mexico
Associated Press (free)
An independent journalist found dead in northern Mexico was killed by a blow to the head, authorities said Tuesday, reporting the latest in 14 slayings of Mexican reporters and media workers so far this year, the deadliest in recent memory for the profession.
Ecuador President Going to U.S. Cancer Center Following Melanoma Diagnosis
Reuters
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso is traveling to a U.S. hospital known for its cancer treatment for medical tests and will likely have surgery there after being diagnosed with melanoma on this right eyelid, he said Tuesday, saying it would not affect his presidential duties.
Latin America’s Parliamentarism Problem
By Will Freeman | Americas Quarterly (free)
Legislatures are gaining more power across the region—but the outlook for governance doesn’t look good.
Ukraine Defies Russia With Attacks on Crimea, a ‘Holy Land’ to Putin
By Anton Troianovski | The New York Times
A series of brazen attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea by Ukraine in recent days—the latest Tuesday by an elite military unit operating behind enemy lines—come in defiance of dire warnings of retaliation from Moscow. A senior Russian official vowed last month that if Ukraine attacked Crimea, it would immediately face “Judgment Day.”
More from WPR: Only Ukraine Can Set the Terms to End the War With Russia
Russia Warns Britain Against Planned Spy Plane Overflight
Associated Press (free)
Russia’s Defense Ministry warned Britain Tuesday against a planned spy plane flight over Russian territory, saying the country’s air force has been given orders to prevent an intrusion.
New Scottish Law Makes Period Products Free for All
Associated Press (free)
A law has taken effect in Scotland to ensure period products are available free of charge to anyone who needs them.
Mali’s Prime Minister, Choguel Maiga, ‘Ordered to Rest’ by Doctor
Reuters (free)
The prime minister of Mali, Choguel Maiga, has been ordered by his doctor to rest after months of intense exertion, his office said Saturday, while an adviser denied media reports that he had been hospitalized after having a stroke.
Nigeria’s Sharia Blasphemy Law Not Unconstitutional, Court Rules
Reuters
A Nigerian court Wednesday ruled that Islamic religious law does not violate the constitution, dismissing a test-case challenge from a singer who was sentenced to death two years ago on the charge of blasphemy.
Reports: Turkish Airstrike in North Syria Kills at Least 11
Associated Press (free)
Turkey carried out an airstrike in northern Syria on Tuesday near its border killing at least 11 people, including Syrian government soldiers, an opposition war monitor and a Kurdish media outlet said.
Reports: Israel Carried Out Gaza Strike That Killed Five Minors
By Fares Akram & Sam McNeil | Associated Press (free)
A Palestinian human rights group and an Israeli newspaper reported Tuesday that an explosion in a cemetery that killed five Palestinian children during the latest flare-up in Gaza was caused by an Israeli airstrike and not an errant Palestinian rocket.
A Power Struggle in Iraq Intensifies, Raising Fears of New Violence
By Alissa J. Rubin | The New York Times
Followers of the Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr set up a tent city to blockade Parliament, paralyzing any progress toward forming a new government.
More from WPR: A New Pick for Iraqi Prime Minister Could Spark Conflict
Egypt Says Central Bank Governor Resigns Amid Economic Woes
Associated Press (free)
Egypt’s central bank governor resigned Wednesday as the country struggles to address its economic woes.
Taiwan, China Hold Opposing Military Drills Amid Tensions
By Johnson Lai | Associated Press (free)
Taiwan is staging military exercises to show its ability to resist Chinese pressure to accept Beijing’s political control over the self-governing island, following new rounds of threatening drills from China.
More from WPR: China Has Nothing to Gain From Invading Taiwan
China Set to Discourage Abortion Amid Concern Over Birthrates
By Karina Tsui | The Washington Post
China’s National Health Commission announced Tuesday that it would take steps to reduce the number of abortions in the country—Beijing’s attempt to tackle low birthrates and stagnant population growth.
More from WPR: China’s Demographic Dividend Is Tapering Off
China to Send Troops to Russia for ‘Vostok’ Exercise
Reuters
Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in joint military exercises led by the host and including India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries, China’s defense ministry said Wednesday.
Kenya Declares New President, but Battle May Not Be Over
By Declan Walsh, Abdi Latif Dahir & Matthew Mpoke Bigg | The New York Times (free)
Kenya is often held up as a beacon of democracy in Africa, but as the latest election showed, it is not always pretty. Disputes started even before a winner was named.
More from WPR: Another High-Stakes Presidential Election Has Kenya on Edge
Road to War: U.S. Struggled to Convince Allies, and Zelensky, of Risk of Invasion
By Shane Harris, Karen DeYoung, Isabelle Khurshudyan, Ashley Parker & Liz Sly | The Washington Post (free)
On a sunny October morning, the nation’s top intelligence, military and diplomatic leaders filed into the Oval Office for an urgent meeting with President Biden.They arrived bearing a highly classified intelligence analysis, compiled from newly obtained satellite images, intercepted communications and human sources, that amounted to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war plans for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Chinese Military Ship Docks in Sri Lanka Over Indian, U.S. Objections
By Hafeel Farisz & Gerry Shih | The Washington Post
A Chinese navy ship at the center of a diplomatic spat docked in a southern port in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, marking a small triumph for Beijing over India and the United States.
U.S. Rules Out Releasing Billions in Afghan Funds After Strike
By Jessica Donati & Margherita Stancati | The Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration has decided it won’t release any of the roughly $7 billion in foreign assets held by Afghanistan’s central bank on U.S. soil and has suspended talks with the Taliban over the funds after the killing of al Qaeda’s leader in Kabul, according to U.S. officials.
More from WPR: Using Afghanistan’s Frozen Funds to Pay 9/11 Families Could Backfire
U.S. Approves Nearly All Tech Exports to China, Data Shows
By Kate O'Keeffe | The Wall Street Journal
The U.S. has identified intensifying technological competition with China as a top national-security threat. But a Commerce Department-led process that reviews U.S. tech exports to the country approves almost all requests and has overseen an increase in sales of some particularly important technologies, according to an analysis of trade data.
U.S. Carries Out ICBM Test Delayed During Chinese Show-of-Force Over Taiwan
By Idrees Ali | Reuters
The United States military said Tuesday that it had carried out a test of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, delayed to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing during China’s show of force near Taiwan earlier this month.
More from WPR: China Has Nothing to Gain From Invading Taiwan
The Upside of Pelosi’s Unwise Taiwan Visit
By Ryan Hass | Foreign Affairs
What Washington can learn from Beijing’s overreaction.
Ecuador Says Deadly Guayaquil Blast Connected to Crime Gangs, Investigation Ongoing
By Alexandra Valencia | Reuters
The government of Ecuador has authorized security forces in Guayaquil to carry out inspections of houses as part of a new state of emergency, the interior minister said, after an explosives attack killed five people over the weekend.
Pay Pushes Venezuelan Teachers to Protest, Consider Quitting
By Regina Garcia Cano | Associated Press (free)
Public school teachers across Venezuela had planned to use their annual vacation bonus to buy uniforms for their children, waterproof leaky roofs, get new prescription glasses or fix the pair barely held together by adhesive tape.
Strike Four: Facebook Misses Election Misinfo in Brazil Ads
By Barbara Ortutay | Associated Press (free)
Facebook failed to detect blatant election-related misinformation in ads ahead of Brazil’s 2022 election, a new report from Global Witness has found, continuing a pattern of not catching material that violates its policies the group describes as “alarming.”
More from WPR: Bolsonaro Won’t Accept Defeat in Brazil’s Upcoming Presidential Election
U.K. First to Approve Booster Targeting Coronavirus and Omicron Variant
By Andrew Jeong | The Washington Post
Britain has become the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine booster for adults that targets both the omicron variant and original virus that circulated in 2020, its health regulator said Monday.
Leadership Vacuum Heightens Worries as Crises Loom in U.K.
By Stephen Castle | The New York Times
As energy prices and inflation soar under a caretaker prime minister, critics say transition at the top is leaving Britons in limbo at a tumultuous moment.
More from WPR: Boris Johnson Is Gone, but London’s EU Delusions Remain
Ukraine Chips Away at Russian-Held Region, but Task Is Daunting
By Michael Schwirtz | The New York Times
Ukrainian forces badly want to retake the southern region of Kherson from Russian invaders, but Moscow retains a potentially overwhelming advantage.
French Soldiers Quit Mali After Nine Years, Billions Spent and Many Lives Lost
By Elian Peltier & Ruth Maclean | The New York Times
The last unit of the French military mission, Operation Barkhane, crossed into neighboring Niger, after a major fallout with Malian authorities.
More from WPR: France’s Troubles in West Africa Go Well Beyond a Failed Counter-Insurgency
Liberia Suspends Three Officials Accused by U.S. of Corruption
Reuters
Liberia President George Weah on Tuesday suspended three government officials who were sanctioned by the United States for what it said was their ongoing involvement in public corruption.
Mali Charges 49 Ivory Coast Soldiers Detained Since July
By Baba Ahmed | Associated Press (free)
A Mali prosecutor says the 49 Ivory Coast soldiers held in Mali since July on accusations of being mercenaries have now been charged with undermining state security.
Turkish Troops, Kurdish Fighters Exchange Heavy Shellfire in Syria’s Kobane
Reuters
Turkish troops and U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters exchanged heavy shellfire Tuesday in the northern Syrian border town of Kobane, leaving one civilian dead as the conflict escalated.
Iran Submits a ‘Written Response’ in Nuclear Deal Talks
By Jon Gambrell | Associated Press (free)
Iran said Tuesday it submitted a “written response” to what has been described as a final roadmap to restore its tattered nuclear deal with world powers.
Israeli Police Kill Palestinian in East Jerusalem Raid
Associated Press (free)
Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian man Monday, claiming he had attempted to stab officers during a raid in east Jerusalem.
U.N. Envoy Travels to Strife-Torn Myanmar for the First Time
Associated Press (free)
The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar traveled to the Southeast Asian nation Monday for the first time since she was appointed to the post last October.
More from WPR: Myanmar’s Resistance Fights On—With or Without International Support
China Shuts Factories, Rations Electricity as Heat Wave Stifles Economy
By Eva Dou & Lyric Li | The Washington Post
China’s worst heat wave in six decades is deepening the economic pain of pandemic lockdowns, with authorities ordering factories this week to suspend production in several major manufacturing regions to conserve electricity.
China Sets Sanctions on Taiwan Figures to Punish U.S., Island
Associated Press (free)
China imposed visa bans and other sanctions Tuesday on Taiwanese political figures as it raises pressure on the self-governing island and the U.S. in response to successive congressional visits.
More from WPR: China’s Saber-Rattling Won’t Make Taiwan Shift Course
China Begins New Military Drills as U.S. Delegation Visits Taiwan
By Christian Shepherd & Eva Dou | The Washington Post
China announced new military drills around Taiwan on Monday, as a delegation of U.S. lawmakers met with Taiwanese officials at a time of heightened tensions in the region, with Beijing accusing the United States of “playing cheap political tricks” by strengthening its unofficial relationship with the self-governing democracy.
More from WPR: China Has Nothing to Gain From Invading Taiwan
A Boom, a Fire and a Stampede: Dozens Die at a Coptic Church in Egypt
By Nada Rashwan, Euan Ward, Liam Stack & Yonette Joseph | The New York Times
A blaze that killed at least 41 at a church in greater Cairo caused anguish among a religious minority that has long felt itself oppressed in Egypt.
Colombian Government and ELN Rebels Meet in Havana to Restart Peace Talks
The Guardian (free)
Colombia’s new government and members of the nation’s last guerrilla group have taken steps towards restarting peace talks that were suspended three years ago in Cuba.
More from WPR: War Returns to Colombia’s Countryside
U.S. Reports Drone Strikes on Tanf Base in Syria, No Casualties
By Sarah Dadouch | The Washington Post
U.S. forces reported an attack by drone aircraft on one of its outposts in a remote corner of Syria but said there had been no casualties or damage.
The U.S. Wants to Close Guantanamo. Could a Saudi Center Provide a Way Out?
By Carol Rosenberg | The New York Times
The Biden administration is seeking places to send cleared detainees who cannot go home. A Saudi program could be an option once again.
The World Is Seeing How the Dollar Really Works
By Adam Tooze | Foreign Policy
By raising interest rates, the Federal Reserve strengthened the U.S. currency—and revealed its centrality to global order.
Mexico President to Bypass Congress to Keep Army in Streets
By Maria Verza | Associated Press (free)
Mexico’s president has begun exploring plans to sidestep congress to hand formal control of the National Guard to the army, a move that could extend the military’s control over policing in a country with high levels of violence.
Four Latin American Nations Back Castillo as Peru Political Crisis Continues
Reuters
The governments of Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador and Bolivia on Saturday backed the continuation of Pedro Castillo’s presidency in Peru, where he is facing several criminal investigations and constant threats of impeachment.
More from WPR: Peru Is Tired of Castillo’s On-the-Job Training
Nicaragua’s Government Shutters One of Last Opposition Radio Stations
Reuters
The Nicaraguan government ordered the closure of a radio station known for its opposition against President Daniel Ortega, its director said Friday.
More from WPR: Ortega’s Sham Trials Mark Another Step Toward Dictatorship
EU Calls for End to War Talk in Balkans Ahead of Serbia-Kosovo Meetings
By Henry Foy | Financial Times
The EU has demanded that Serbia and Kosovo abandon talk of war as the bloc and Nato prepare to hold crisis talks with the rivals this week in a bid to avert fresh conflict in the Balkans.
More from WPR: Victims of the Balkans Wars Are Still Seeking Justice
Brittney Griner Appeals Her Conviction on Drug Charges in Russia, Her Defense Team Says
By Ivan Nechepurenko | The New York Times
The defense team for Brittney Griner, the American basketball star sentenced to prison in Russia on drug smuggling charges, said on Monday that it had appealed the verdict as Russian diplomats began to speak more openly about a potential prisoner exchange with the United States.
Kenya Election Result Imminent, Media Gives Ruto Narrow Lead
By Duncan Miriri & George Obulutsa | Reuters
Deputy President William Ruto led a tight presidential race against opposition leader Raila Odinga, official results reported by media showed Monday, with an announcement from electoral authorities imminent.
More from WPR: Another High-Stakes Presidential Election Has Kenya on Edge
DR Congo Opens Oil and Gas Auction Round to Carbon Credit and Crypto Groups
By Kenza Bryan | Financial Times
The Democratic Republic of Congo will allow carbon credit and cryptocurrency companies to bid in an oil and gas licensing round that has been criticized by environmentalists who say drilling in the country’s rainforests and peatlands would risk releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide.
Ivory Coast Supplies the World With Cocoa. Now It Wants Some for Itself
By Elian Peltier | The New York Times
A new generation of Ivory Coast chocolatiers is striving to change an industry that has long left cocoa farmers in poverty.
Kuwait Names First Ambassador to Iran in Over Six Years
Reuters
Kuwait has appointed an ambassador to Iran, both countries said Sunday, more than six years after recalling its top envoy to Tehran in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after it severed ties with the Islamic Republic in 2016.
Egypt Appoints 13 New Ministers in Cabinet Reshuffle
Associated Press (free)
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt announced a Cabinet reshuffle Saturday to improve his administration’s performance as it faces towering economic challenges stemming largely from Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Eight Injured in Shooting in Jerusalem
By Patrick Kingsley & Vivek Shankar | The New York Times
At least eight people, including five Americans, were injured by gunfire outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem early Sunday in a shooting that the Israeli authorities described as a terrorist attack.
Tensions Flare Between Israel and Hezbollah Over Disputed Gas Fields
By Steve Hendrix & Shira Rubin | The Washington Post
The group’s activities—which officials say include a doubling of the number and size of patrols near the border, a series of drone incursions and a drumbeat of threats from Hezbollah leaders—come as American mediators race to settle a dispute between the two countries over suddenly lucrative natural gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea.
The End of the Tunisia Model
By Yan Zhuang | The New York Times
The country’s democracy has died—but may yet be reborn.
Myanmar Widens Arrests and Slaps Aung San Suu Kyi With More Prison Time
By Richard C. Paddock | The New York Times
The ousted civilian leader has been convicted on corruption charges by a military-appointed court. A Japanese journalist and two models have also been detained in recent weeks.
More from WPR: Myanmar’s Resistance Fights On—With or Without International Support
Philippines in Talks to Buy U.S. Helicopters After Dropping Russia Deal
Reuters
The Philippines is looking to buy heavy-lift Chinook helicopters from the United States, after scrapping a deal with Russia worth $227.35 million in order to avoid sanctions, Manila’s ambassador to Washington said Monday.
Australia’s PM Says Predecessor Morrison Secretly Held Ministry Roles During Pandemic
Reuters
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sought legal advice following reports that his predecessor Scott Morrison secretly held key ministerial roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, duplicating some portfolios.
More from WPR: Albanese’s Domestic Agenda Could Reshape Australia’s Regional Relations
Sri Lanka Collapsed First, but It Won’t Be the Last
By Indrajit Samarajiva | The New York Times
As a Sri Lankan, watching international news coverage of my country’s economic and political implosion is like showing up at your own funeral, with everybody speculating on how you died.